A statewide survey out of Rock Hill shows 62% of South Carolina adults now rate the state's economy as bad, and 48% say they are worse off financially than they were a year ago. The numbers reflect a widening gap between the state's headline economic growth and what residents feel in their bank accounts, driven largely by grocery bills and utility costs that keep climbing. For many households, the squeeze isn't abstract, showing up every time they check out at the grocery store or open an electric bill.
The figures come from a May 2026 poll reported by the Post and Courier, which surveyed 1,434 South Carolina adults and found 67% call grocery costs difficult or very difficult to afford. Another 59% said housing and health care expenses are similarly hard to manage, and many respondents said dining out and even a week-long vacation are now beyond their budget. The nonpartisan Winthrop Poll is conducted several times a year by the Center for Public Opinion & Policy Research at Winthrop University in Rock Hill.
Utility Bills Add To The Strain
Utility costs are compounding the pressure. AARP South Carolina discusses Dominion Energy South Carolina's rate increase request.
Duke Energy Carolinas is seeking similar relief from its own customers. The utility filed an application with the Public Service Commission in docket 2025-172-E, dated September 15, 2025, according to the South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff, which represents the public interest in utility cases before the commission.
Grocery Prices Keep Climbing At The Register
Grocery costs are proving just as stubborn. A survey of 1,100 registered voters conducted in May 2026 by Global Strategy Group for the Kitchen Table Project found that groceries, utilities and housing rank among Americans' top financial stressors, according to the Greenville News. Many respondents said they're paying unfair prices for groceries, and voters were split between blaming stagnant wages and blaming rising prices for the broader cost-of-living crisis.
Gas prices offered a small reprieve this week. AAA reported the South Carolina average at $3.6520 a gallon, well below the national average of $4.0890, as crude oil slipped more than 3% to fall below $78 a barrel. Even so, respondents to the same survey said they feel financial pressure both at the pump and on their energy bills.
Several factors are fueling the run-up at the register, per the Greenville News account of the survey data: drought conditions have reduced crop yields, energy price spikes have pushed up transport costs, and tariffs have raised the price of imported goods. Meat and poultry are viewed as the leading cause of grocery stress, and 2026 grocery prices overall are being fueled by inflation, international conflict and supply chain disruptions.
Independent Research Points To A Deeper Affordability Gap
Independent research suggests the strain runs deeper than day-to-day price swings. A May 2026 Brookings Institution study tracking affordability from 2014 to 2024 found that 45% of South Carolina households do not earn enough to cover a basic basket of necessities, including housing, health care and groceries, according to the Charleston City Paper. The study also found sharp racial disparities, with only 47% of Black households earning enough to meet basic needs compared with 61% of White households.
Grocery Taxes Offer A Partial Cushion
State tax policy is part of the cost picture at the grocery store and at restaurants.
Food Insecurity And Wages That Haven't Kept Pace
Food insecurity is another part of the affordability picture. According to Feeding America, 865,240 people in South Carolina are facing hunger, underscoring the broader food-affordability pressures described by residents. According to the USDA Economic Research Service, household food insecurity affected 18.4 percent (6.7 million) of households with children in 2024.
Food, dining and energy costs are part of the broader price picture.
Wages haven't kept up with any of it. South Carolina's wage picture includes hospitality and food-service work. Pay and basic-needs costs are part of the broader affordability discussion.
Strong State Growth Hasn't Trickled Down
The disconnect is especially stark at the macro level. South Carolina's job and industry performance has been stronger, and population inflows have been cited as supports for the state's economic performance, according to Greenville Business Magazine. Affordability concerns remain, even as consumer inflation continues to squeeze personal budgets.
The frustration cuts across party lines. Independents, Democrats and Republicans alike voiced support for government efforts to crack down on price gouging and strengthen regulations, per the Greenville News survey data, though opinions split on the fix: some said prices need to come down immediately, while others favored addressing root causes like tariffs and corporate pricing decisions even if solutions take longer. The broader cost-of-living discussion also extends beyond South Carolina, as reflected by the linked coverage.
